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| ICAN Home > Modules > Academic Interventions | ||||||
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Direct Instruction: Introduction
As increasing numbers of children with disabilities are being educated in general education settings, the question repeatedly arises as to how direct instruction can be integrated into typical classroom routines and activities. This is a particular concern for some children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) whose early learning experiences have been primarily limited to structured 1:1 teaching guided by ongoing assessment and data collection. When the time comes for a student with ASD to transition to a less restrictive environment, whether a general or integrated special education setting, often the primary challenge becomes how to provide ample opportunities for individualized instruction and data collection within the daily activities and routines of the classroom. Direct instruction may be a viable option. However, before deciding how direct instruction might be implemented, it is advisable first to clarify individual perceptions of the meaning of the term. The term direct instruction has a number of possible associations. It may refer to a set of effective teaching practices identified by Rosenshine (1976) or to Hunter’s (1980) model of direct teaching described as Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP). The Direct Instruction (DI) model described by Becker, Engelmann, Carnine, and Rhine (1981) specifically refers to a highly publicized longitudinal study called Project Follow Through (Schweinhart, 1997; Stebbins, St. Pierre, Proper, Anderson, & Cerva, 1977.) and the more than 50 published DI programs for teaching core academic subjects, primarily at the elementary level. More recently, the term direct instruction has become synonymous with structured teaching methods of any type (Gersten, Woodward, & Darch, 1986). As the specific models associated with direct instruction are amply described elsewhere, no attempt will be made to summarize them here. If you are interested in information on methods related to one of the above paradigms, please consult the reference list at the end of this lesson. For the purpose of this topic, we will define direct instruction as a continuum of effective strategies for increasing opportunities for learning in the least restrictive setting. At the heart of any discussion of direct instruction is the role of the adult in the child’s learning experience. In comparison with more child-centered teaching methods, direct instruction commonly is characterized as teacher-directed (Stein, Carnine, & Dixon, 1998). Consequently, the responsibility for student learning (or lack thereof) rests squarely with the teacher’s design and delivery of instruction. This may present a philosophical challenge for the general education teachers, trained to work with typically developing groups of students, who see their role as a facilitator of learning (Bredekamp, 1987). On the other hand, special educators, generally trained to view themselves as interventionists, may have more knowledge of direct instruction, yet lack an understanding of how to integrate opportunities for individualized instruction into the framework of the general education classroom. In this topic we will identify and describe effective strategies for increasing opportunities for direct instruction in the least restrictive classroom setting. Specifically, we will present research-based instructional strategies that can be integrated into general education settings to maximize opportunities for individualized instruction of children with disabilities, including ASD. Direct instruction strategies outlined in the following lectures are part of a hierarchy of effective practices on a continuum representing least-to-most adult direction (Figure 1).
Environmental arrangements and supports make up the top half of the continuum of effective instructions, representing the least intrusive instructional strategies for the classroom. That is, these methods allow the greatest opportunity for student-initiated learning and are less dependent on adult instruction. Along with the use of peers as intervention agents, these practices provide the structure that supports teaching and learning in a classroom setting. However, for many children, including students with ASD, more directive methods of instruction will be required. These strategies are represented by the base of the hierarchy and form the content of the lecture on direct instruction: reinforcement strategies, naturalistic procedures, and response-prompt strategies. How do you select the most appropriate instructional strategy for a student? Research suggests that increased generalization of learned skills is associated more with opportunity for child-initiated behavior and less with adult-directed learning. It follows that the most adult-directed instructional strategies would be reserved for the most significantly delayed student behavior, or for critical behaviors or skills that require rapid acquisition or extinction.
Lecture Content
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